+Sauron Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I never had a 7800 back in the day despite wanting one (I had an Atari 130XE instead), but I've found the 7800 to be one of my favorite systems, and far better than the 5200. Yes, the original commercial library is a bit sparse, but there are certainly some gems. For one, I absolutely love some of the arcade ports (Food Fight, Joust, Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man to name a few), as well as a few other games that help give it a little bit of character (Ninja Golf). However, an even bigger reason for owning it (for me, at least) is the HUGE library of excellent homebrew games that have been made for it. This latter part has given it a life that it simply didn't have back in the day, with tons of excellent arcade ports as well as some high quality original games. Seriously, PacManPlus alone has created a library of titles that are extremely high quality and polished that make the system worth getting, as well as giving a highly accurate representation of the arcade games. And that's not to mention many of the other homebrewers who have made plenty of excellent games as well. Honestly, I'd say the system is more than worth it even if you completely avoid the original commercial releases and just focus on homebrew, although you'd still be missing out on some gems. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Ironically @Sauron it was highly accurate arcade ports which endeared the Sega Saturn (and later the Dreamcast) to their fans. Even if the ports came several years after the games were released in arcades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 If you can live without the absolute best version ever made of Joust....you should still own a 7800. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drsoren24 Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 I decided to take the plunge. I have one on the way. Does anybody have any games to sell at a reasonable price? I was also wondering about controllers. Do the genesis and master system controllers work? I heard that the genesis ones do with both buttons, but do the master systems? I like those ones better. Also on another note, I downloaded congo bongo because I really wanted to play it for some reason. I think it is just the name, its sorta funny, and sega makes it, so it should be great right? It is probably the worst game of all time. I'd rather play e.t. on the 2600, I'm so glad I didn't buy it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilsaluki Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I was in Biloxi, Miss. on temporary duty going to school at Keesler AFB. I was bored in my dorm room and went to a pawn shop. The guy was selling a 7800 with 75 games, some of them 2600 games, some really rare games now. I hesitated and he offered it to me for $75, machine, PSU, cable, and 75 games. I said,"Well I really don't NEED it." He replied, "At that price, why not?" I couldn't argue with that logic so I got it. Man, am I glad he convinced me. I have enjoyed it for many years now. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drsoren24 Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 Also I've decided to, through suggestion, to keep one cart of every game I have for my 5200. I do have some duplicates, if anybody is interested in trading some 5200 games for some 7800 games, let me know. That also goes for hardware, I have lots of controllers, power supplies, weird 4 port rf boxes, etc. I might need a power supply and some controllers for the 7800. All I have right now is the one in the picture and 2600 and genesis controllers. The one in the picture is pretty sweet, huh? I got it in an ebay lot years ago. 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 That is funny. A guy made a controller with a painline and some osb. That wins the redneck controller award. Have to report back how it works!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 On 7/11/2020 at 6:52 PM, Drsoren24 said: is the 7800 necessary? /thread 5 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sauron Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 22 hours ago, Drsoren24 said: I decided to take the plunge. I have one on the way. Does anybody have any games to sell at a reasonable price? I was also wondering about controllers. Do the genesis and master system controllers work? I heard that the genesis ones do with both buttons, but do the master systems? I like those ones better. Also on another note, I downloaded congo bongo because I really wanted to play it for some reason. I think it is just the name, its sorta funny, and sega makes it, so it should be great right? It is probably the worst game of all time. I'd rather play e.t. on the 2600, I'm so glad I didn't buy it. Glad to hear that! Most of the game library is inexpensive to buy, with only a few games that are rare that go for $$$. Having said that, most of the best games also tend to be the cheapest (with a few exceptions, notably Ninja Golf). Regarding controllers, you can use a Genesis controller with the 7800, but it will only have one functioning button if you plug it in directly. You'll need something like the Seagull 78 in order to use two buttons for games that require them. I believe the SMS controllers won't work properly without some kind of a mod, but I don't personally have any experience with that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 22 hours ago, Drsoren24 said: Also I've decided to, through suggestion, to keep one cart of every game I have for my 5200. I do have some duplicates, if anybody is interested in trading some 5200 games for some 7800 games, let me know. That also goes for hardware, I have lots of controllers, power supplies, weird 4 port rf boxes, etc. I might need a power supply and some controllers for the 7800. All I have right now is the one in the picture and 2600 and genesis controllers. The one in the picture is pretty sweet, huh? I got it in an ebay lot years ago. Fantastic method of mounting the controller - just jam some drywall screws through it. Mad skills! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 That is a thing of beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 On 7/11/2020 at 5:52 PM, Drsoren24 said: So I guess my question to all you 7800 fans is why do you like them, and is it worth getting one for somebody who has a great 5200? Not really. I'd just focus attention on the Atari 8-bit computer line and/or the 2600 & 5200. That's all the "Atari" one really needs. That's where the innovation is occurring today, especially in 2600 programming! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sauron Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 8 minutes ago, Keatah said: Not really. I'd just focus attention on the Atari 8-bit computer line and/or the 2600 & 5200. That's all the "Atari" one really needs. That's where the innovation is occurring today, especially in 2600 programming! Go back to whatever hole you happen to live in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) The same one you're in? No thanks. Edited July 14, 2020 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 @RevEng I've always seen the 7800 as being redundant. I always found the market to be confused and up-in-arms over its release bitd. Same could apply to some of the later computers too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevEng Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 I marked your comment as confusing because you criticised the 7800 for a lack of innovation, which has nothing to do with the old retail library, and everything to do with homebrew. Several of the upcoming homebrews are breaking new ground. TailChao is developing new cart formats, 2 flash carts have been announced, we have all kinds of new controllers being supported. The fact that you feel innovation is limited to the 2600, 5200, and A8 scenes, honestly just tells me that you're either not paying attention, or more than a little confused. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) I guess. If there's new stuff in development, that's fine. I just simply never pictured the 7800 as being at the forefront. A vertical niche. I'm happy to leave it at that. If flash carts and a co-processor cart like melody or harmony come to market, I'll be impressed. --- Not confused. I just haven't experienced any big wow moment with the 7800. Not like seeing a system start with Combat & Video Olympics and progress to the likes of Scramble or Draconian. It could happen. Edited July 15, 2020 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 5 minutes ago, Keatah said: I guess. If there's new stuff in development, that's fine. I just simply never pictured the 7800 as being at the forefront. A vertical niche. I'm happy to leave it at that. If flash carts and a co-processor cart like melody or harmony come to market, I'll be impressed. Where have you been the last ten years? XM all the way! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 XM..what? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevEng Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 42 minutes ago, Keatah said: Not confused. I just haven't experienced any big wow moment with the 7800. Not like seeing a system start with Combat & Video Olympics and progress to the likes of Scramble or Draconian. It could happen. And yet you included a system that started off with Star Raiders, possibly the finest system seller of the era, in the same lot of systems with innovation going on. Doesn't really make a lot of sense if awe from humble beginnings is your measure. I submit that maybe you're not particularly well informed on the 7800 (you have no clue what XM is) and so maybe you're not the best person to pop in and give advice to newcomers that the system doesn't have any innovations going on. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 47 minutes ago, Keatah said: I just haven't experienced any big wow moment with the 7800. Not like seeing a system start with Combat & Video Olympics and progress to the likes of Scramble or Draconian. It could happen. Seeing a system 'start' with Mario Bros. and progress to the likes of Rikki & Vikki, both from a hardware and software perspective, if that's not a big wow moment, it's truly a matter of being oblivious or obtuse. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Maybe. Maybe not. But wouldn't it make sense that if the 7800 more innovative it would be at forefront of vintage gaming more than it has. Again that's just how I see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 23 minutes ago, Trebor said: Seeing a system 'start' with Mario Bros. and progress to the likes of Rikki & Vikki, both from a hardware and software perspective, if that's not a big wow moment, it's truly a matter of being oblivious or obtuse. I guess I'll have to be both then. It didn't do too much for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Defender_2600 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) I just haven't experienced any big wow moment with It. Edited July 15, 2020 by Defender_2600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asaki Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Well, like someone else was starting to say, 7800 would've been a lot more impressive if it hadn't been released two years late. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.